1700lb boat towing. Will my truck go up the boat launch?

I have a 15’ mako proskiff 1700lbs and my tow vehicle is a 2020 Tacoma SR 4cyl 4x2. Will is make it up and down a boat ramp? What’s the best method of towing the boat? ECT and auto LSD on ramp?

 

Making it up depends on the condition of the ramp. You will have trouble if it is slick with algae. I have launched at at least 25 ramps over 100 times with different 2 wheel drive vehicles. The only time I was thinking I will need help was with an 18 foot tri-hull with an 85 horsepower Mercury outboard in Long Beach, California. I probably put a half a mile on the odometer getting 25 feet but I made it anyway.

 

You've got plenty of power, and the load isn't much. What you need most is traction, LSD will help, and good tires, but you'll need weight on the rear (not the boat/ trailer weight, but weight over the tires, in the bed), if the ramp is wet or steep or slimy. Start your pull up the ramp gently; slip the clutch if it's a manual, or add gradual throttle, try not to spin; As your speed increases, add more throttle, get yourself rolling. If you start spinning, apply brakes and stop, then start over, Don't let yourself go backwards down the ramp while spinning, all you'll do is burn up your tires and slide into the water. That's worse-case scenario, you'll probably do just fine.

If you need more weight in the bed, recruit people at the ramp to climb in the bed.

 

Here's a little trick I've seen. Put a receiver on the front of the vehicle. Once the trailer is connected you reverse up the ramp. This keeps the rear wheels out of a lot of the slime. The fellows I've seen do it have some sand bags in the back over the axle. People as mentioned work as well.

 

Reverse has more ratio but the pinion works against the rear axle, its a pro and a con oddly.

Keeping the hot rear axle out of the water is a big pro though, it really f's up rear ends when you drop a red hot axle from the free way into cold water.

 

Ease into it and you'll be fine. That's not much weight. My 4cyl would do fine pulling boats up the ramp. Easing into is key. Spinning out isn't beneficial so again just ease into it. I pulled this thing up loaded with a couple hundred pounds of ice and shrimp a bunch of times and never had a problem. If you're worried about it try backing in and pulling out when you know someone is around that can hook up to you and help out if need be. You should be fine though.

 

That was my thought too. Get a mobtown hidden front hitch for a couple hundred and it may also help with parking the boat in tight tricky places. Although, a boat that light can probably be man handled.

 

Thank guys it went really well. The tip about the auto LSD easing into worked. No slip out all. When I was retrieving boat it was raining but the truck did great. Didn’t even notice it back there. ECT power was on the whole time and I flipped off VSC and auto LSD light was on. My ramp is great though. All concrete with grooves. On imperial river. Launched at high tide.